Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Not buying another Kindle

androidauthority.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 288 posts

Re: Not buying another Kindle

#61

Post by blululu »

Aeolun wrote: post #50
fmajid wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually an unsupported device stops getting new functionality and security fixes. The unsupported Kindles lose existing functionality, i.e. the ability to add books. Not quite bricked unlike, say, Sonos, but you are limited to the books y already downloaded to them. This is inherent to DRM, and the reason why I would never have considered buying one in the first place. The eReader I have is a PocketBook Versa. Same p…

Wait, wut? How would they stop me from adding new book to my kindle? I can just plug into USB and load directly right?

Correct. It’s the ability to download books directly onto the device from Amazon that is being removed.

Re: Not buying another Kindle

#62

Post by grimgrin »

alfanick wrote: post #42
grimgrin wrote: post #10

the only bit of the service i cared about was mailing my kindle address mobis/epubs (even the mobile kindle app receives these) today i use a boox page, after a friend complimented his https://shop.boox.com/products/page

Why do those devices need 3GB RAM and 8-core CPU if they well, show books? There is no hurry there. Give us full-blown terminal and ssh/mosh at least.

probably because of android 11

Re: Not buying another Kindle

#63

Post by nerdix »

Aeolun wrote: post #50
fmajid wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Usually an unsupported device stops getting new functionality and security fixes. The unsupported Kindles lose existing functionality, i.e. the ability to add books. Not quite bricked unlike, say, Sonos, but you are limited to the books y already downloaded to them. This is inherent to DRM, and the reason why I would never have considered buying one in the first place. The eReader I have is a PocketBook Versa. Same p…

Wait, wut? How would they stop me from adding new book to my kindle? I can just plug into USB and load directly right?

No you can't do that on a kindle. They have a "send to kindle" feature that allows you to add non-Amazon purchased ebooks to your library. But that requires support from the backend (and an internet connection).

I'm assuming send to kindle will no longer be supported on these older devices.

Re: Not buying another Kindle

#64

Post by fsflover »

chasil wrote: post #47
johngossman wrote: post #8

I can understand why one would want to move from Kindle to another device, but this article starts by complaining that support is being dropped for devices from before 2013. I can even understand being upset by this, but I have absolutely no faith that whatever other device I switch to will still be supported in 10+ years. Could be. But I sure wouldn't count on it.

Buy something that runs the latest LineageOS, and use the Kindle app. If you want greater security, substitute Graphene for Lineage. These will not be e-ink displays, but the longevity is perhaps the longest available from independent vendors.

If you choose non-e-ink displays, than the best longevity will be for GNU/Linux devices like Librem 11.

Re: Not buying another Kindle

#65

Post by fsh »

gjsman-1000 wrote: post #23
johngossman wrote: post #8

I can understand why one would want to move from Kindle to another device, but this article starts by complaining that support is being dropped for devices from before 2013. I can even understand being upset by this, but I have absolutely no faith that whatever other device I switch to will still be supported in 10+ years. Could be. But I sure wouldn't count on it.

What's also not mentioned is that the discontinued devices don't support KFX. KFX is the modern kindle format, AZW meanwhile is heavily PDF-based. KFX was designed ground-up by Amazon, supports every modern feature they could think of, and presumably couldn't be backported to 2013 and earlier Kindles; AZW meanwhile was basically a wrapper around a subset of PDF. KFX is a complete redo, notable enough it's what "Enhan…

AZW is clearly not PDF based. Try opening an actual PDF on a Kindle and compare the experience.

Re: Not buying another Kindle

#66

Post by [deleted] »

nerdix wrote: post #63
Aeolun wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, wut? How would they stop me from adding new book to my kindle? I can just plug into USB and load directly right?

No you can't do that on a kindle. They have a "send to kindle" feature that allows you to add non-Amazon purchased ebooks to your library. But that requires support from the backend (and an internet connection). I'm assuming send to kindle will no longer be supported on these older devices.

[deleted]

Re: Not buying another Kindle

#67

Post by jmyeet »

LeCompteSftware wrote: post #52
jmyeet wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure you can. An ebook has zero cost of distribution and no middlemen. A physical book has to be typeset, printed, shipped to stores, shipped to customers, marketed in store, etc etc etc. If a physical book is sold for $10 at least half that is printing, distribution and retail. Like the GP, the price fixing of ebooks at the Dane price as physical books mothers me as well, particularly because physical books can be s…

Sure, it's easy to evaluate anything if you make up plausible-sounding numbers about it. The costs of printing and retail are definitely less than half the sales price: https://www.davidderrico.com/cost-breakdowns-e-books-vs-prin... Publishers say it's 10%; Derrico thinks they are underestimating certain logistical costs but no way it's 50%.

Did you read that? You’re picking out one cost: printing.

Scroll down to where the cost breakdown of a paperback is. More than $5 once you include distribution and retailing.

Or, as some might say, more than 50% of $10.

Re: Not buying another Kindle

#69

Post by delecti »

fmajid wrote: post #56
Aeolun wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, wut? How would they stop me from adding new book to my kindle? I can just plug into USB and load directly right?

Well, I don't have a Kindle, so I can't verify this, but I am basing this from reporting: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98k91yy4z4o "The move will mean owners of older Kindles, including its earliest models such as the Kindle Touch and some Kindle Fire tablets, will be unable to download new e-books." For a more tech-oriented site, according to Ars Technica Amazon removed the ability to upload over USB: https:…

Nothing you've quoted is wrong per se, but it's also not the full story.

Amazon removed the ability to download files from them to your computer. And they will soon be removing the ability to download files from them directly to older kindle devices. You can still download a MOBI or EPUB from anywhere else online (though I think some older kindles don't support EPUB) and transfer it via USB, and will still be able to after they EOL those older devices.

Re: Not buying another Kindle

#70

Post by WolfeReader »

occamofsandwich wrote: post #9

The ereader scene is just a disaster that shows the dangers of prioritizing DRM. I had ereaders for two decades, managed to read about 6 books on them and ultimately have almost nothing to do with related media forms because of the experience which replaced any actual reading routine with jumping through hoops.

The Kindle scene is a disaster that shows the dangers of prioritizing DRM. Meanwhile, I'm buying DRM-free books and keeping them in Calibre and reading on KOReader. It's a great experience.
Post reply on HN